Shallow Table Saw Dado Gage

I make a lot of shallow dados on the table saw because it is quick and usually not enough to warrent setting up the router station. But, I had a problem getting the depth right. I always use a piece of scrap and I’d be too shallow and then go too deep because the table saw crank is not precise at all. I bought this drop indicator for $1 and thought I’d put it to use so I built this bridge style gage to clear the insert in the table saw for a firm base to measure from.Now when I need to just go .015” deeper, I can count on the measurement of how much the blade really moved.

It is made from Oak, Brass, Corian and Aluminum.

cheers, Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!

Thank you all for all the nice comments. I don’t use it a lot, but when I do, it take the guess work and trial and error out of it..

Hi Eric, most of the dado’s I do on the table saw are up to 1/2” deep which I consider shallow .

Hi Ben, I just eyeball the TDC with the high tooth. What I’m measuring is the lift of the drive shaft, so if the tooth is off a little one way of the other, that big flat disc picks up the vertical travel okay.

Hi Dick, a Wixie box will do it as long as it is mounted on a firm base for good relative readings. I just happened to get this analog drop indicator real cheap and it was new.

Hi Brian. I don’t use this to gage the depth outright. I take a shallow cut and measure what I need to finish the depth and then use this gage to read out the movement .

I have one of these for my router table and a horizontal indicator for the fence movement and I use that one sometimes on the table saw to make fine movements of the fence. Everyone kids me for woodworking in thousandths!!

Cheers, Jim

cheers, Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!